University of DaytoneCommons

News Releases Marketing and Communications

5-23-1969

Bro. Thomas Poitras, S.M. Honored for 70 YearsService in the Society of Mary

Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.udayton.edu/news_rls

This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Marketing and Communications at eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusionin News Releases by an authorized administrator of eCommons. For more information, please contact frice1@udayton.edu,mschlangen1@udayton.edu.

Recommended Citation"Bro. Thomas Poitras, S.M. Honored for 70 Years Service in the Society of Mary" (1969). News Releases. 3551.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/news_rls/3551

https://ecommons.udayton.edu?utm_source=ecommons.udayton.edu%2Fnews_rls%2F3551&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttps://ecommons.udayton.edu/news_rls?utm_source=ecommons.udayton.edu%2Fnews_rls%2F3551&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttps://ecommons.udayton.edu/mktg_com?utm_source=ecommons.udayton.edu%2Fnews_rls%2F3551&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttps://ecommons.udayton.edu/news_rls?utm_source=ecommons.udayton.edu%2Fnews_rls%2F3551&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttps://ecommons.udayton.edu/news_rls/3551?utm_source=ecommons.udayton.edu%2Fnews_rls%2F3551&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPagesmailto:frice1@udayton.edu,%20mschlangen1@udayton.edumailto:frice1@udayton.edu,%20mschlangen1@udayton.edu

THE UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

DAYTON, OHIO 45409 AREA CODE 513 461-5500 EXT. SOO

JOE McLAUGHLIN

DIRECTOR, GENERAL PUBLICITY

DAYTON, Ohio, May 23, 1969 --- Bro. Thomas POitras, S.M., doesn't look or feel

his 87 years. He'll reach that age on November 4. Possessed of a sharp step, quick

wit and an interest in things around him, Bro. Poitras is living his retirement years

at the University of Dayton with the vitality of a younger man.

"--./ He credits this vitality with the continuous interest he has taken in his

Society of Mary work over the past 70 years. That f s right, 70 years. Bro. Tom

joined the Society on April 2, 1899.

Because of this longevity of service his fellow religious in the University of

Dayton community are going to honor him Friday, May 30, along with two other Society

members who are celebrating jubilees. Rev. Raymond A. Roesch, S.M., UD President,

is celebrating his 25th year as a priest. He was ordained at Mt. st. John's, now

UD's East Campus, on May 30, 1944. Bro. Ralph Mravintz, S.M., UD's Admissions Director,

is marking his 25th year in the Society. He took his first vows at Beacon, New York,

August 20, 1944.

The celebration will take the form of a concelebrated mass at 11 a.m. in the

Brothers Chapel of Alumni Hall and a dinner at 12 noon. It is a private affair for

the religious on the UD campus.

Father Roesch, Rev. Norbert Burns, Director of the UD religious community; and

Rev. James McKay, an ordination classmate of Father Roesch's from Pittsburgh's North

Catholic High School, will concelebrate the mass with Rev. George Barrett, UD's

Vice President, giving the homily and Bro. John Emling of the School of Education

serving as master of ceremonies.

Bro. John Lucier, Chairman, Department of Chemistry, will pay tribute to the

Jubilarians at the dinner. Bro. John Perz of the Department of Languages will serve

as master of ceremonies.

Bro. Poitras, born in st. Ignace, Canada, November 4, 1882, came to st. Mary's

Institute, now University of Dayton, in July, 1894. He divided his time from then

until 1909 getting his degree and t eaching at st. Michael's high schools in both

Chicago and Pittsburgh, and at EMI. He went to Cincinnati for one year and then

prefect of novices at Mt. St . John's, now UD's East Campus, in Dayton and then taught

music at his alma mat er from 1915 to 1922 .

-continued-

U:UVERSITY OF 'DAYTON JUBILIARIANS, May 23, 1969 - 2

He spent six months in Manitoba, Canada, teaching and returned to UD in December

of 1922 to continue his music teaching untU 1933. During this period he managed

to study at Pius X School of Liturgical Music in New York and got his master's degree

from the Catholic University of America in 1934. He also taught French at UD from

1934 to 1937, leaving the University at that time to study at the Sorbonne, Paris, --.....::-:::.. ------

France.

He completed his latest studies in 1939 and was caught in Europe at the start

of World War II. He managed to get home via Italy and was assigned to the Marianist

Prep at Beacon, New York. In 'August, 1940, he returned to UD and taught music until

o 1954. He was assigned to St. Anselme, Canada, for two years of teaching, spent

two years at Beacon, over to Cham1nade High School in Dayton, back to Anselme, to

Emman~el Church in Dayton and then retirement in 1963 on the campus of his alma mater.

Father Roesch, born in Jenkintown, Pa., on September 16, 1914, entered the

University in 1932, graduated in 1936, taught at Cathedral Latin High School, Cleveland,

until 1941 when he started preparation for the priesthood a~ Catholic University in

Washington, D.C. in 1941. He completed his seminary studies at St. Meinrad Seminary,

Indiana, in 1944 and was ordained at Mt. St. John's on May 30, 1944.

He taught at Chaminade High School, Mineola, Long Island, for four years. He came to the University of Dayton in 1951 as an instructor in psychology and was chair-man of that department when he was appointed president of the University by the late Rev. James M. Darby, S.M., then Cincinnati Provincial of the Society of Mary and

. Chairman of the University's Board of Trustee s .

Father Roesch's graduate degrees are master of arts in psychology from Catholic University, 1945, and doctor of philosophy (psychology) from Fordham University in 1954.

~ As UD's president he has held several national, state and local positions including Board of Directors of Winters National Bank & Trust Company, Dayton. He has been very active in statewide activities and organizations for the independent colleges in Ohio. During his tenure as UD's president the student body has more than doubled in size to more than 10,000; graduate programs have been introduced including a doctoral in biology and the physical plant has added four buildings with four others under construction.

Brother Mravintz, born in 1925 in Pittsburgh, has been Admissions Director of UD since 1965. He received his bachelor's degree from UD in 1950 and his master's from Pittsburgh in 1955. He also has done graduate work at the University of Cincinnati and Western Reserve University.

He has taught in Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Hamilton, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh before coming to UD. He also served as counselor, athletic director "'and assistant principal during various periods in those schools.

He took his first vows on August 20, 1944, and final vows on August 24, 1947.

-30-

University of DaytoneCommons5-23-1969

Bro. Thomas Poitras, S.M. Honored for 70 Years Service in the Society of MaryRecommended Citation

UD_News_1969_05_23_1UD_News_1969_05_23_2